Amber eyes, Azure intentions
by Tatterdelimon
Summary: Another retelling of Evangelion with a Shinji changed by leading a differant life.
1. Chapter 1

Blood.

Blood is red, the colour she hated.  
Yet both her story and mine are of blood, the ties of blood, the spilling of blood and most of all; the curse of old blood upon the new.

The story begins in the year 2000, yet this is not our beginning merely our prelude. Our Story, or at least mine begins in the year 2015.  
I am Shinji Ikari, third child of Evangelion, and this is my story.

Tokyo 3 January 2015

As day's went it wasn't a bad one, blue skies, sun, nice breeze and I had received a letter from him… A letter telling me to drop everything and come here, to Tokyo 3, like he'd never just walked out on me, never turned me into what I am!  
…But I'm getting ahead of myself, HE for those of you that have had the fortune of never meeting him was Gendo Ikari, the man who had once called himself my father.

I hated him for abandoning me, for turning me into a monster and leaving me with some uncle I'd never met before, Yet at the time his letter gave me a certain cynical hope, Maybe he did want me after all?

Included with this letter was a picture of one of the most beautiful women I had ever seen: long purple hair, great smile, eyes that sparked with life even through the photo… and a helpful arrow pointing at one HELL of a cleavage.  
Had I not been paying so much attention to said cleavage, I might have wondered about just who this woman was and what her relation to my father was.  
I (eventually) tore my eyes away form the picture and turned the card over to double check my instructions. I was to be here (The Tokyo 3 municipal rail track) at 3PM exactly for 'ride'

So it was with no small amount of annoyance that I checked my watch and sighed at the 4PM blinking up at me in obnoxiously cheerful red numerals.  
"great, the first contact I've had with him for over 5 years and he isn't even on time"  
I was in the middle of complaining voraciously to myself when I felt it; a presence where there had been none before, I looked up sharply, nose and tongue already tasting the air, probing for the area for the new arrival. Almost instantly, I detected the scent of the supernatural, (not unlike peppermint) but the strength of the odour was staggering whatever I was detecting was a creature of awesome spiritual or magical power,

"Ikari."

I spun around the instant the voice registered, crouching down into a guard position.  
What I saw surprised me; a young girl standing a scant 3 feet away staring fixedly at me. She looked to be about my age and was dressed in what appeared to be a school uniform, normal enough, yet her hair (a pale periwinkle blue) and her eyes… those crimson orbs bore right through me in a way I can hardly describe, cold, probing, yet strangely appealing…

Misato Katsuragi glared angrily at the young man before her, she'd spent the whole morning catching up on her paperwork (recovering from her last hangover) and so had been late in leaving to retrieve him. Having finally found her quarry she did not appreciate him completely ignoring her in favour of staring out into space.  
Realising that he wouldn't be responding anytime soon Misato took the time to study the boy before her.  
So this was the commanders son? If she hadn't seen it with her own eyes Misato would never have believed it, someone had actually married the bastard king? Still she wouldn't count it against the kid, he was actually kinda cute; fairly tall, sleekly muscled, medium length brown hair and deep brown eyes. Now if he'd only act like he was human instead of an oversized lawn ornament they'd be getting somewhere.

"Hey! I'm talking to you"  
"Huh"  
I turned at the yell, my internal monologue disrupted to find the woman from the photo standing before me, hands on her hips and tapping her foot impatiently.  
This was odd…people could not usually sneak up on me at all; I usually caught their scent long before they reached me, but all my attention had be directed towards the girl (who to my consternation had vanished the moment I had looked away.) and with her vanished the overpowering scent of peppermint, allowing me to discern the woman's.

A lot of people don't know this but you can tell a lot about a person by their scent; where they live, who with, what they eat, where they've been…  
Take the major's for example: vanilla, heavily tinged with beer and perfume (At least when I first met her, I can only assume she was trying to make a good impression.) it also contained elements of something I didn't recognise at the time (Pen-pen, but how the hell was I supposed to know what a penguin smelt like?)

"Shinji Ikari?"

"Yes…did you see that girl just now?" My reply was vague, I wasn't really listening, still absorbed by the apparition to care about whatever else was going on.

"What girl?" Misato replied quizzically, everyone was supposed to be in their shelters by now, and she hadn't seen anyone but Shinji when she'd arrived.

"…never mind."

I wasn't really surprised that she hadn't been able to see the girl, judging from the power of the scent the girl was most likely powerful enough to employ astral projection, or at least shield her presence to 'normals'  
"…Right, Well I'm Misato, Misato Katsuragi. I'm here to take you to NERV now"  
She gestured to the car parked behind her; a blue Renault alpine, electric model from the look of it.

(So I like cars…bite me.)

I wordlessly climbed into the passenger seat and waited until we were well on our way before speaking again.

"Miss Katsuragi?"

"Yes Shinji? And it's Misato please."

"Ok…Misato, Do you work for my father?"

It sounded innocent (if depressed) but Misato caught the hint of accusation in his tone, especially in the word 'father'

"Yeah… has he told you anything about his work?"

"Nothing… my teachers kept going on about 'saving humanity' or something like that."

A tense moment passed before Misato murmured

"You sound just like me with my father…"

"Huh"  
Unfortunately for Misato my keen ears meant I heard her whisper like she'd shouted it

"yes?"

"You said something just now…"

"No, It must have been you imagination"

I'm sure that most of you are wondering why I have skipped straight to my account of meeting Ritsuko in NERV, well I have several reasons for cutting out my tour of the Geofront 1.given the many retellings of my story you have most likely heard it all before far to many times to really care 2.nothing crucial to the story happened in the intervening time so it would be a rather pointless addition 3.I'm using up enough paper as it is and Asuka will kill me if my biography is larger then hers (must be that strange German mindset of hers…)

NERV, as I quickly found out, richly deserved its reputation as the cursed lovechild of HP lovecraft and a deranged architect, the alleged 'map' that Misato was supposed to be following looked like a cross between a schizophrenics experiment with a Spiro-graph and a circuit diagram. Whilst I find it odd that she could have worked there for any length of time without knowing her way around the place I could certainly sympathise with her.

"Um…haven't we passed this lift three times now Misato"  
IT was on our fourth circuit of the same lift and adjacent corridors that we met Dr Ritsuko Akagi, evidently annoyed at having to come and look for us.  
"Where have you been Misato? We're on a timetable here you know"  
I still cannot work out why she was wearing a swimsuit under her lab-coat, I never saw her in one again and she certainly didn't smell of excess water (yes Asuka, excess water does have a peculiar smell to it and no I'm not explaining it.) if anything she stank of plastic.  
"Sorry Ritsuko, we had a little car trouble"  
Ritsuko seemed to notice my presence for the first time fixing, me with a piercing, probing stare before asking Misato "So is this him?"

"Yup, the third child, son of the bastard king himself."

"Well come on then, we've got to get him down to the cage"  
I stayed silent as usual, I hardly considered it likely that they'd tell me anything useful that I couldn't find out myself from their scents or gestures.

The lift ride was uneventful, Ritsuko and Misato were talking about something involving 'oni's' and '09's' to tell the truth I wasn't paying all that much attention, to busy wondering about what I was going to say to father I guess.  
I mean what was I going to say? 'HI dad, nice to see you again after all these years, feel like telling me why you abandoned me'  
The elevator stopped and opened out onto a vast pink lake. I instantly recoiled as the overpowering smell of liquid plastic and disinfectant washed over me, receiving funny looks from both Misato and Ritsuko whilst doing so.  
"Are you okay Shinji?"

"F-fine." I managed to gasp out, whatever that pink stuff was it was the nasal equivalent of a power drill to the foot.  
After a short dingy ride, we arrived at a set of stairs set into the far wall of the cavernous room. I managed to keep my lunch down long enough to reach the top before my constitution failed me and I was noisily sick over the side of the railing garnering both annoyed look from Ritsuko and a concerned glance from Misato

"Wha-what is that stuff?"

"Bakelite a synthetic plastic used to cool and store the EVA's, odd you're the only person aside from her that's reacted to it like that"  
At the time, I didn't have a clue about what Ritsuko meant about 'her' or the thing she called 'EVA'  
Our short journey ended in the pitch-black room, although to my enhanced eyes it may as well have been on the streets above the first thing I noticed was the face; huge and demonic, a leering purple leviathan caged beneath earth.  
IF my nose wasn't still crying for mercy from the noxious fumes of that Bakelite stuff I'm sure that the whole cage would have been rank with the smell of blood, pain and peppermint.  
After a few seconds the lights finally came on (who'd have thought that Dr Akagi was a drama queen?) throwing the leering purple face into relief.

"What is it?" I asked in a purposely-bored tone, if Akagi thought that I'd be impressed or intimated by her little show she was mistaken (to tell the truth it had scared me witless the first time I saw it but I wasn't going to tell her that)

"THAT is the artificial humanoid fighting android EVANGELION, mankind's last and most powerful weapon against the angels."

"That's my father's work?"

"Correct"  
I turned and looked up in the direction of the voice. There silhouetted by the light streaming from his observation box stood Gendo Ikari my father.

My second foray into EVA fiction, please review.

Thanks to all those how reviewed Titans lost, the next chapter of that will be up shortly. 


	2. Chapter 2

"Father"  
odd really, in all the various scenario's of meeting father again I'd constructed in my mind I'd always assumed that I'd be angry, that I'd rage at him, maybe even kill him, yet here I was standing before him and all I felt was… sick.  
I'm not sure if it was still the affects of the Bakelite or just that I actually did hate the bastard, but all I felt in his presence was nausea.  
"I assume that there's a reason for you calling me here father…beyond you burning desire to get to know me of course"  
If father was annoyed by my sarcasm, he didn't show it keeping that same smirk e always wore fully in place.  
Naturally Misato and Ritsuko were shocked by my seemingly cavalier attitude towards the man they knew as 'bastard king' and commander Ikari' respectively

"Of course, you will pilot it"  
I stared at him aghast for a moment then at the 'EVA' then back to him "You want 'me' to pilot that?"

"Correct."

It was so ludicrous that I almost burst out laughing; he'd experimented on me, turned me into who knows what, abandoned me without a word of explanation and NOW after 7 years just called me up and expected me to jump through his hoops like nothing had happened.

"No."

Judging from Misato's expression this was clearly the wrong answer.  
"Are you serious?"

"Yes I'm serious father, get another lackey, I'm sick of playing your games."

There lying on a hospital gurney was the girl from before, the exact one from the image. She was slick with some liquid and stank of blood, so much so that I could detect it over the chemical stench of the Bakelite. She was in intense pain and sweating heavily, whatever had happened to her had happened HARD.

"Rei. Our spare is useless, you will do it again."

I did laugh then ignoring the disgusted looks sent my way by Misato and Akagi, a harsh laugh born of disbelief, he really expected this girl to do anything in the state she was in?  
To my amazement she actually pulled herself upright, teeth gritted in agony, only a small squeak of pain escaping her despite her wounds.

"Y…yes sir."

I don't think that I hated him until that moment, truly hated him I mean. I was always angry at him for he did and didn't do, an anger that only intensified over the coming years but that event, his using a dieing girl to force me into his plans again planted the seeds of true hatred in me.

"So…you'd go that far would you"  
My only reply was his insufferable smirk.

Our staring contest was interrupted at that moment by a resounding crash that both sounded and felt like a very large mountain and just body-slammed the base.  
Both Misato and Akagi fell, the former pulling the latter down in her attempt to remain stable. I dove forward in an attempt to catch Rei but was a fraction to late; she toppled off her gurney with a wet -Smack- causing her to cry out in pain.

Concerned I gathered her up into my arms, her frail body feeling oddly light in my arms.  
Creeak…

I looked up aghast; the ceiling had partially collapsed, causing a fairly large collection of rubble and debris to rain down on us. In her currant condition, Rei was in no shape to be moved quickly, and even if she was, I doubted that I could have moved with sufficient speed to avoid the shower of rocks and broken metal. So I shield her as much as I could with my back and waited for the inevitable. As deaths go this wouldn't be a bad one, I can think of worse ways of dieing then with a beautiful girl in my arms.

For an instant all other sound was drowned out in a screech of tortured metal followed by a number of huge CLANGS! Like metal impacting on metal, then silence.

A few moments passed and I wondered why I wasn't dead yet, after another minute I decided to risk opening my eyes to discover the reason for my continued reasoning.

Pieces of bent and broken metal lay scattered around us and, looking up I saw the reason that we were still breathing: the EVA's arm was curled protectively around us! The EVA had torn itself free from its restraints and extended its arm to shield Rei and myself from harm!  
REI! In all the confusion and mental writing of wills, I had completely forgotten about the fragile girl in my arms.  
(This says a lot about me really, I have a beautiful girl wearing a skin-tight outfit clasped to my chest and I let a little thing like dieing distract me)  
Her pulse and breathing were erratic and even as I watched her I felt a warm trickle of blood run down my arm.  
"Well Shinji, you've seen the options, if you don't pilot it, that girl, and everyone here will die. Can you actually let that happen"  
Guilt, it always came down to guilt with women didn't it? Moreover, from fathers satisfied smirk this was his plan from the beginning.

"…I'll do it."

Within moments I was loaded into a huge tube-like object that Akagi referred to as an 'Entry plug'  
Mercifully the hideous smell of the bakelite was cut off as the plug closed finally allowing me to really think clearly, absently I noticed that the girls blood was still on my arm and left hand, a cursory sniff confirmed my earlier suspicions: the girl, Rei wasn't human, at least not entirely.  
Soon the plug began to fill with a clear orange liquid. My eyes told me that it was tango but my nose knew that sharp coppery smell to well to make any mistake; the plug was filling with blood, or something made from it. At the time, I couldn't determine what or whose blood they were using but it didn't smell or taste entirely human, if anything it was uncomfortably like Rei's…

"Keep calm Shinji, the LCL will oxygenate your blood directly. "

Dr Akagi had evidently spotted my look of distaste and misconstrued it as a fear of that I might be drowning.

Synching with Eva will always be difficult to describe (both Asuka and Rei's experiences with it differ from my own greatly) For me it's a period of warmth combined with a feather light touch of another awareness, (most likely that of Eva herself) before it's huge body becomes mine. Being able to control both EVA's body and my own simultaneously took some getting used to, I won't use the term practice because that infers that was learning new things. Piloting EVA felt more like remembering a talent I had recently forgotten then something that I had never done before.

The first time it was incredible. Every one of my senses was sharpened at least five-fold. I was so entranced by this that I failed to notice Misato's voice drifting over my com until she turned the volume up and screamed

"Shinji! Are you listening!"

So loudly that I almost leapt through the roof.

"Huh? Oh yes I'm fine, this just takes a little…getting used to"

"ok, we'll be sending you into combat directly, are you ready?"

oh sure, as far as they knew I had zero combat training and was being sent out in a completely untested robot against a foe that I had witnessed taking an atom-bomb to the face and laughing it off, I mean what's there problem, its not like I don't do this sort of thing everyday? (note the sarcasm)

"Evangelion LAUNCH!"

My spine compacted as the tremendous G-force created by the insane acceleration of the EVA rocketing up its coil-gun launch system, if I had been normal or if the LCL hadn't cushioned it the force would have snapped my neck like a twig. The sensation of air rushing over the EVA's armour brushed against my senses in an odd contrast to what my own body was telling me, it was kind of like having one foot in a thick sock whilst the other was bare Within seconds I was on the surface, the fresh night air wafting through the Eva's slightly numbed senses. I immediately detected the same scent as before, only when filtered through the EVA's nose it seemed…fowl somehow.  
As I was trying to sort out the reason for my disgust the object of it slowly shambled into view, Sachiel was never the prettiest ANGEL looking a lot like a child's attempt at forming a man from clay, the limbs were to long each terminating in an odd tri-dactyl appendage. The face (if you could call it that.) was a simple bone plate jutting from the centre of the torso. I noted with some disgust that the N2 mine had made some changes; a second skull now grew from the first, shoving the original to the side, the odd patches of bone and chitin that dotted its body seemed stronger too.

'Trust father to come up with a weapon that makes the enemy stronger' I groused, levity being my only defence against the mounting unease caused by the sheer…hatred the ANGEL's mere presence caused in me.

Trying to fight in the EVA for the first time was…hard.

Whilst Synching with it had made me more aware of my surroundings and sense of balance then ever, it had also left me inexplicably…dull. As though I were weighted down, or had just woken up from an overlong sleep making my charge slow and uncoordinated.

The ANGEL did not have this problem and despite its awkward appearance moved with lightning speed, neatly sidestepping my pitiful excuse for a punch and taking my left arm in its claws

CRUNCH!

Just the sound told me that the bone had been broken, this hypothesis was confirmed by the blinding pain shooting up and down my arm, 'my' arm!  
After a short while Misato's voice broke through my yell of pain her voice made tinny by the radio:

"Keep calm Shinji, that's not your arm!"

Unfortunately this amazing advice helped little, 'I' knew that it wasn't my arm, the EVA knew that it wasn't my arm but unfortunately the arm in question, being somewhat behind events, stubbornly refused to belief that it was mistaken, and therefore unharmed.

The ANGEL was not idle during all this, while the EVA had gone slack, the link disrupted in my confusion. Sachiel had pulled me close, wrapping a clawed hand over the EVA's head.  
The centre of the claw started to glow pink, the light growing brighter and brighter…

"Shinji! Get out of there!"

Misato's panicked squawk and a blinding flash of pink light were the last things I saw before my world disintegrated into pain and darkness.

Sorry about the wait, and also sorry about this story…

As for dennisud; thanks for the review and just what do you think the 3rd child might be? You'll find out in the next chapter.  
Titans lost is suffering a slight hiatus while I work out some chapter issues, but should be updated in a day or two, thanks for reading and reviewing. 


	3. Chapter 3

Running, I had to keep running it would catch me if I didn't.  
"IT" followed close behind me, loping along easily yet its inhumanly long arms and legs meant that it was still eating up the distance.  
A light burst into existence ahead of me, penetrating the all-consuming gloom, as I drew closer the light changed, first becoming a woman I didn't know, yet still recognised, then as I watched shifted into the slight form of Rei; stark naked, arms outstretched.  
A taloned hand closed around my ankle, pulling me down, I screamed and turned, striking my assailant hard across the face, which shattered.  
I looked up at the revealed face for a few scant seconds and screamed before the creature scythed its claws down.

"Aaahhhh!" I jerked awake to the sound of someone screaming at the top of their lungs, it took be several minutes to realise that it was me. Gradually as I calmed down I began to take in the room around me; white/blue/beige walls (is beige the only colour doctors can see or something? Every hospital in the history of mankind has been beige!) and a sharp antiseptic smell combined to form one word: hospital. That was good in that I wasn't dead (unless God or Lucifer had a sense of humour) it was also bad because of what might happen if someone thought to perform a blood-test on me.

Nobody seemed to be around so I got up to investigate the room further, I quickly discovered my clothes, neatly folded on a chair next to my bed, they stank of blood but being the only things available I pulled them on anyway. From what I could hear in the corridor outside I was alone. Good, I needed some time to think…  
Leaving the room confirmed my suspicions; the place was empty. A line of windows took up most of the opposite wall and, lacking anything better to do, I went over to take a look.  
There, glinting malevolently in the morning sun was the black pyramid of NERV, it was kind of funny that something that looked so much like a tomb would hold the 'future' of mankind, especially when that future was won by battling 'angels' with lobotomised things which were piloted by fourteen year-olds in giant tubes that looked frighteningly like tampons.  
'Yessir Shinji.' I thought to myself 'Things couldn't get more screwed up if you tried."

The clattering of a hospital gurney travelling towards me at an alarmingly high speed interrupted my miserable monologue, I span around in time to catch a flash of blue and red before she was gone.  
"Shinji!"

"Hello Misato."

"It's good to see you up and about kiddo, how's the head?"

"Okay…why do you ask?" something about the way she asked made me feel like I was missing something rather important.

"No reason. Anyway I've got to take you to headquarters for your room assignment" She was lying of course, but now wasn't really the time.

This journey through NERV took substantially less time then our previous one, Misato had obviously memorised the route which was good as getting lost in some underground labyrinth wasn't my idea of a good time. It was quiet too, especially after we ran into father.  
It was about 15 minutes after Misato had come to collect me, we were waiting patiently for the lift when the doors opened with a shrill chime revealing; HIM.  
To my personal disgust I took an involuntary step back in shock and do you know what he did in response? The bastard stared at me! Just stared at me with that same disdainful look he'd given me from his armoured box in the cage.  
The trip kind of went downhill from there.

"He's WHAT!"

To cut a long story short we'd finally arrived at the right room and I'd been given my room assignment; somewhere in the mostly deserted eastern block apparently, and whilst I had no problem living alone (hell it'd be just like old times) Misato apparently did.

"Living alone ma'am, its all here." Replied the lieutenant weakly, obviously trying to avert Misato's wrath. Judging from the fear that was now practically dripping from the walls Misato had quite the reputation.

"It's fine with me Misato" I chipped in, the lieutenant shot me a grateful look "I'm used to living alone."

If anything of this had reached planet Misato she certainly didn't show it, instead she tore the papers in two and scattered them all over the floor.

"Inform the commander that Shinji will be living with me, I'll file the paperwork tomorrow." And with that she stormed out leaving the stuttering lieutenant and me standing stunned in the office.

"Excuse me!" I yelled, breaking out of my shock long enough to catch up with her.

"Yes Shinji?" she replied pleasantly.  
"Just what gives you the right to decide my living arrangement like that?" It wasn't that I minded per-say, living with a beautiful woman is kind of dream material for most boys my age and Misato was certainly that, but her cavalier attitude towards my free-will irked me, and that wasn't even considering what could happen if he came out…

"How does COMMANDING OFFICER sound mmmm? If that one doesn't work there's always woman who'll make your life a living hell if you don't shut up and agree."

Something in the way she said that completely bypassed my brain and sent my feet marching orders, and by the time I had realised what had happened, I was already climbing into her battered Renault.

It's quite scary to realise that the woman who views beer as a universal condiment could quite easily take over the world if she could be bothered isn't it?

"What do you say we throw a little party Shinji? To celebrate you moving in?"

"Hhn." I grunted in reply, I still wasn't too happy with her about the whole 'moving in business' and even less happy at her apparent ability to control my motor functions.

"Aww c'mon, don't be a grouch."

Silence.

"I know something that might cheer you up, hang on."

"Hang on." Was said at the precise moment that Misato, disregarding any concept as absurd as a 'speed limit' or 'road safety' accelerated to what felt like 125 MRH.

13 fear-filled minutes later…

"So this is it?" 'It' was a winding part of the road that overlooked the city, admittedly the view was nice, but nothing spectacular and certainly nothing near amazing enough to cheer me up.  
"Just wait and see." Said Misato in the smug tone I had now come to realise was her default one.

"I still don't…" my scepticism trailed off mid-whine; the city was rising, whole buildings were rising out of the ground, it was stunning; Tokyo 3's many buildings (what was left of them anyway) framed in the setting sun was the kind of sight poetry was made of.

No you aren't getting any, so there.

Misato, it turned out, lived in a condominium contained in a mostly deserted apartment complex. Whether the other residents had left in fear of an Angel attack or Misato's driving was unclear and probably best left unknown.  
The elevator was out (Misato living close to the top, off course) but the walk was nice and the groceries (read junk food) we'd bought from a nearby convenience store weren't heavy.  
Soon I begin to detect my own scent and a moment later we were there; a plain gunmetal door whose only adornment was a tacked-on sign bearing the legend: Misato's lovely suite.  
To my surprise the few boxes of possessions I had taken with me were neatly stacked by the door.  
Well that explains the scent at any rate A lesson to all; NERV works VERY well when given proper motivation.  
I stopped an inch away from the door, and not just from the almost overpowering stench of stale alcohol. I don't know where it came from but something was telling me that the moment that I stepped over the threshold something big would change, whether this was for good or ill said anonymous subconscious informant refused to say (as always)

"C'mon Shinji, this is your home now."

Home, that'd be nice. The place that I'd lived in with my 'teacher' hadn't been a home, just a place I lived in for a while, as for that nagging feeling; to hell with it, we only live once.

I stepped over the threshold and into more insanity then I could imagine.

Misato, to my surprise wasn't the slob I took her for, no Misato was a bigger and better slob then I had dreamed; almost every surface was littered with empty liquor bottles and the remains of instant meals, from the looks of things it was a miracle Misato was even alive today let alone blessed with such a figure. The smell of alcohol alone almost forced me to run away screaming for god's sake!

Misato, apparently noticing my look of shock attempted an explanation "Sorry about the mess, I haven't had much chance to clean up lately."

"Sure, if lately means ever." I muttered sourly, the stinging to my nose caused by the beer and other, harder drinks making me surly.

"What was that?"

"I didn't say anything."

Misato gave me a level look before turning to go into another room. "Put the shopping in the fridge would ya? I'm gonna…" she paused here, mischief dripping from her voice as she continued "Slip into something more comfortable."

Just so it's clear to everyone; that woman is pure evil.

As every open door seemed to contain an equal amount of trash, I picked one at random and hoped for the best. usually I'd let my nose tell me which room smelt of food, but right now my nose couldn't tell me what I smelt like, let alone penetrate the wall of alcohol that filled the distillery of Misato's rooms.

Fortunately the air in the room was somewhat cleaner and, judging from the two fridges I had struck it lucky in my search or the kitchen.  
Wait a second… Misato had said THE fridge, singular. So why was I faced with plural?

"Hey Misato!"

"Hmmm?"

"Why do you have two fridges?"

"Oh, don't mind him, he's probably still asleep."

'Don't worry, he's probably still asleep'? This was not an answer I was comfortable with, If I'd heard Misato correctly, which given my hearing I was sure that I had, who the hell was she talking about?

Well, I wasn't going to stand here all day staring at a pair of fridges, like a lemon, so I employed an ancient tactic, honed over the centuries through painstaking trial and error;

I used teeny weenie money moa.

The fridge duly elected through the wisdom of the ages held beer, lots and lots of beer. Judging from Misato's apparent lack of any other food she was apparently powered by beer.

I was saved from trying to work out how this was possible as Misato appeared in the doorway, wearing a baggy shirt and the shortest shorts known to man.

"Whadda'ya think Shinji?" She asked, striking a provocative pose; hips tilted, shirt showing the hint of cleavage.

"Fine…" I replied, flushing slightly. I'd never really been comfortable around scantily clad women, and Misato's currant 'playful' mood was leading my thoughts into all sorts of interesting tangents.

Dinner was a surprisingly subdued affair, I kept quiet and Misato seemed content to massacre enough beer to poison a small army.  
"Oi Shinji."

"Yes?"

"What's with the moping?"

It was a moment before I answered. How on earth do you tell someone that the smell of their apartment combined with the stench of the gallon of alcohol they had just consumed was causing you to use all of your concentration to avoid throwing up?

Unfortunately I took a second too long pondering this and my eventual answer came out as a strangled yelp as Misato leaned over the table and shoved down on the top of my head with her hand yelling "No misery guts allowed! You're a boy aren't you? SO ACT LIKE ONE"  
It should be noted here that not only was Misato not wearing a bra but her currant position gave me a perfect view as to the contents of her shirt.

Not that I was paying attention to such things, never.  
"Sorry!"

Misato drew back with an exasperated sigh. "C'mon kiddo, cheer up would ya? You're starting to get me down."

"Sorry…It's just a bit much to take in all at once." 


	4. Chapter 4

The whole idea's kind of absurd isn't it? Shinji Ikari, teenage wonder, watch him attend classes in-between saving the world from giant monsters!  
Still, I suppose an education wouldn't hurt.

Much.

Tokyo 3 high school, for a school in the last bastion of humanity it was awfully plain, just a small collection of graying buildings on the west side of town. That was kind of nice really, a little dose of normalcy in between bouts of giant robot violence.  
And speaking of plain...

"Good afternoon Ikari, I'm Class Representative Hikari Horaki. If you have any questions, just ask me."

This Hikari was a plain looking girl: light blue eyes, brown hair and a medium build. Her scent was also normal; too normal... she didn't even have the slight peppermint tinge that seemed to taint the scent of everyone around here. Still, that didn't make her a bad person, just a suspicious one. Not really in the mood for conversation, however pleasant this Hikari had proved to be, I replied with a simple thank you and took my seat.

Almost instantly, the sharp tang of dried blood and an oddly cold feeling drew my attention to a corner of the class; Rei sat at a window, an icy statue in the middle of a sea of empty seats. Judging from the fact that she was still mostly hidden in bandages, her injuries must have been bad, but her posture wasn't that of someone in pain, let alone someone whose injuries supposedly warranted being dressed like Egyptian royalty past its sell-by-date. I paused a moment at that; everyone was taking great pains not to sit within two desks of Rei…

Still, Rei's injuries, whatever they might be, were not any concern of mine, so I got back to the business at hand: pretending to listen to our newly arrived teacher's monologue.  
Like most schools nowadays, Tokyo 3's students were each issued with a laptop for day-to-day work. Whilst their improvement to our learning was questionable, they certainly helped the covert communications ring present in every classroom, as I soon found out…

Are you the pilot?

At first the question floored me, how did anyone know about me being in NERV? But I quickly calmed down, I was probably the first new class member for a while, and turning up right after the Evangelion …it didn't take a genius to advance that logic series…

During my little monologue whoever it was who had sent the message had obviously lost patience and had repeated the message.

Are you the pilot? Y/N

I'd been told quite firmly by Dr Akagi that I could, under no circumstances tell anyone ANYTHING about the Evangelion or NERV, but she hadn't said anything about me keeping my pilot status a secret, and the person asking probably knew so what was the harm? So I typed in yes Yes I know it was stupid now but I plead insanity caused by giant purple monster.

The reaction was as immediate as it was predictable; I was half-deafened by excited yells and deluged with questions like "How did you get chosen?" "What's its special attack?" and "Are you single"  
Quite how our 'sensei' failed to notice half his class teleporting over to my desk and screaming their heads off I will never know, but he didn't even blink. Maybe life in education had sharpened his powers of self-delusion to such a fine degree that he didn't even perceive reality anymore, or maybe he was stone deaf, I don't know.

"Think ya somthin special don'cha?"

"Hi Touji."

The crowd cleared instantly, revealing a scowling boy in a blue tracksuit, judging from his aggressive posture it was he who had spoken.

"Suzahara! You're late!"

Touji's expression softened for a moment as he turned to the Class Rep.  
"Sorry Rep, I was visiting Mari."

"O-oh, okay." Hikari took a small step back, the indignant anger in her voice being replaced with concern.  
His face darkened again, as if saying that name reminded him of why he was here.

"I'll talk to YOU after school punk." And with that he stomped over to an empty seat behind mine, glaring at me the whole while.

Needless to say this dampened my learning enthusiasm somewhat.

All too soon the end of school bell rang, on hearing it I leapt to my feet and strode quickly from the room, hopefully I'd been fast enough to evade that 'Touji' kid.  
Fate it seemed wasn't with me, for no sooner then I'd stepped out of the door then:

"Hey you!"

"Hello Touji, is there anything I can help you with?" I responded calmly, if I could keep things polite, I might be able to avoid the confrontation his scent told me he was itching for.

Incidentally anger, real anger is more a taste then a smell, the closet thing I can think of to compare it to is…ash, wood ash tinged with mustard.  
Look trying to translate an emotions scent/taste is like trying to describe blue to a blind person with pictures, I'm trying my best ok?

"Cut that the fuck out."

"What?"

"pretendin ta be polite and shit, I ain't buyin it."

"I'm sorry?"

"Pardon me Touji." This time it was Aida who spoke, hopefully he might explain what was going in on.

"You're probably wondering what's got my friend here." He gestured to the fuming Touji "So riled up"  
Seeing my nodding reply he continued.  
"You see, my man Touji and his sister couldn't get to a shelter during that last attack"  
Suddenly it all made sense; Touji's anger, his visiting someone called Mari, his sister had been injured in the attack! And judging from Touji's aggression towards me, not by an angel… which meant…

"Oh no"  
"Oh yes, it was your piss-poor piloting that put my sis in da hospital and now ya gonna pay."

I shot Aida a pleading look, begging him to talk some sense into his friend before things got out of hand.  
"Sorry Ikari, once he gets like this there's no stopping him."

Suddenly an alarm began to blare, one I recognised from my training time in the cage; the Angel alarm, we were under attack. Internally sighing with relief (relived to be attacked by a giant monster, yay) "sorry, got to go!" I yelled before turning and running towards the gate.

"Hey Ikari! Watch it!"

I spun around in alarm at the sound of Aida's voice to see Touji was running at me, fist raised.

I wasn't too worried, I'd taken a lot worse punishment in the past and if what he and Aida said was true I certainly deserved his anger and a few punches. His first blow knocked me from my feet, it didn't hurt as such but it was a lot harder then I had thought.

Shinji…  
No… no if he was waking up then.  
"Run Touji"  
Ignoring my panicked advice Touji grabbed me by the collar and pulled me up to eye-level.  
"Say goodnight loser."

Everything went black.

The last thing I expected to wake up to was being pummelled by one of the people I had 'saved' in the EVA. It took me a second to get my bearings, the last thing I remembered was being blown up, now some kid was attacking me, still I never pass up the opportunity for a little 'fun'.

"Say goodnight loser."

His fist met the palm of my hand with a meaty THWACK.  
"Goodnight…loser"  
From here it was a simple application of pressure and-  
CRACKLE-pop Ahhh, the sound of bones breaking, such a sweet melody when sung in duet with pain isn't it?  
The look of total shock on the boys' faces (Touji and Kensuke), I tell you I had not seen such gratifying expressions of shock in ages, and the fear! It practically dripped from them! I pushed harder, grating the shattered bones of Touji's hand and wrist against each other, savouring the sweet smells of terror mixed with the dregs of anger and blood until…

"Stop it."

I turned at the touch, feather light and cool, to stare into a pair of unblinking red eyes.  
I was stunned, the touch was light but the gaze wasn't, it spoke of disinterest and forbidden secrets, of pain and bloodshed grown stale in the corners of the soul. All framed with icy blue hair and a exquisitely delicate bone-structure, memory stirred, this was the girl with the strange blood, the one who had appeared before us in the street, according to Shinji her name was 'Rei' but such a name meant little to me. To me her name was Galatea, desire, pain…  
In that instant I fell in love.

I responded to her request, releasing Touji's hand from my grip and letting him fall to the floor clutching the shattered appendage, stepping closer to her as I did so.  
"To what do I owe the…pleasure of your company, my dear"  
Up close her scent was marvellous; a cloying combination of peppermint, cheap shampoo and dried blood. She looked at me blankly as I lent forward and inhaled deeply, rolling her scent round in my mouth and mind, savouring it and our proximity like an intimate embrace.

"We are required at NERV, did you not hear the alarm?"

Alarm? Ahh, there it was, the incessant klaxon wail in the background had been muffled until now by my own thoughts and Touji's screams.  
"Sorry, my lady, shall we go together"  
Given her slightly puzzled expression before nodding, my treasure was unused to flattery or indeed pleasant interaction, which would change…oh yes.  
And so, with an apologetic wave to Aida who was crouched over Touji's swearing body, we turned and ran.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Huh?" I awoke with a start… and immediately began to choke on a thick viscous liquid that tasted horribly like... blood!  
Instantly I began to panic; what had happened while I was out? had I killed someone?

"Shinji"  
Misato! Her voice calmed me for a second, long enough for me to spot the slightly yellow tinge to the air and the odd tang to the blood only found in LCL.

"What's wrong Shinji"  
"N-nothing Misato, just zoned out for a second"  
Predictably Misato sighed angrily before replying scathingly.  
"Pay attention Shinji! our lives depend on you PAYING ATTENTION!  
Ok... I was in the EVA, this could be good or bad, on the plus side I wasn't drenched in someone else's blood (You know what I mean!) or locked up. The bad news was that I was loaded into an EVA that was apparently about to launch with no idea of what the hell was going on.

Franticly I tried to assess the situation, by straining my ears I managed to catch some talk about an "ammo building" which was good, I remembered Dr Akagi talking about those in a training exercise; Tokyo 3, as a military fortress had a number of buildings solely designed to act as back-up armories for the EVA's, any given building might contain anything from an extra umbilical cord to an EVA sized axe. Damn useful, IF you knew where they were.

"Ok Shinji, EVANGELION LAUNCH!"

Its at moments like this that I wonder which God's dog I ran over in a past life.

In a second I was on the surface, the EVA coming to a halt with the neck jarring speed I had learned was characteristic of the launch system.

Through the EVA's senses I detected the overpowering stench of peppermint mixed with ozone and…squid? Spinning the EVA around I spotted my quarry lazily hovering towards me.  
This angel was even worse looking then the last; a bizarre squid/bug hybrid coloured a hue that could charitably be called puce.  
Right, that was the Angel, but where was the rifle?  
Almost on cue a building to my right split open revealing a rifle and extra clip in the largest weapon rack EVER.  
Dr Akagi had gone about things like "depleted uranium." And "magnetically assisted launch coils." Or general techno-babble to that effect. I'd pretty much stopped listening after I realised that the amount I understood was inversely proportional to the amount she said.  
(Ritsuko often has that effect on people)  
"Just point and pull the trigger." Misato'd told me so I did just that, emptying the clip of my rifle in one huge burst; shrouding the angel in smoke and debris.

"How was that MisatAHHH!" My smug one liner was cut short as the angel's arm scythed out of the gloom.

The Eva seemed much more responsive to my mental commands this time around, a very good thing considering that this angel seemed to have been designed to capitalize on my relative clumsiness. Even with the rifle it was like being attacked by the bastard offspring of a rabid octopus and a blender. I could almost hear the sobs of NERV accounting as a narrowly dodged blow from the angel's lariat transformed a high-rise into the world's second largest example of modern art.

Misato was screaming advice over the radio but I couldn't take my attention off the angel long enough to even listen let alone reply.  
By now it was getting obvious that I would never get near the angel while it still had those lashes, and with my now empty rifle just so much scrap-metal I was screwed. OR was I?  
A mental flick of a wrist unsheathed my prog-knife, sure it was a crazy, almost award winningly stupid and generally suicidal plan, but those were the very reasons that it was going to work...I hope.  
Misato's degeneration into the realm of made-up expletives signified that she had a similar opinion of my plans merits. But what the hell, who wants to live forever?  
That speech would have made me feel a whole lot better if a little voice at the back of my mind would stop screaming "Meeee!" at the top of its proverbial lungs.

What?

Now, it's a common misconception that HE only comes out when I'm angry or hurt, this isn't the case. Whilst HIS appearances most often coincide with these events, I can get angry without turning, just as he can be happy or calm when awake, especially soon after he's awoken. That's what happened here: no homicidal rage, no morbid poetry on his part, the blood red rage staining my vision was mine and mine alone, the only thought on my mind was: "Hold on... just a little longer..."

Had I been paying attention to anything other then how much being pseudo-impaled by a pair of laser whips hurt, I might have spotted the writhing, neatly bisected shape in the Angels core, and just before it shattered, how human it seemed.

"Are you sure, Rei? Purple?" Kozou lifted his eyebrow at the ferocity of Gendo's query.  
"Yes, sir, his behaviour was most unlike that previously reported by section 2." Rei didn't mention the Third's advances to her, nor how said advances made her feel, such things were best left unsaid until she could consider the matter further.  
"Interesting...perhaps it wasn't a waste after all..." A memory stirred in the back of Kozuo's mind, a memory of the early stages of Project: Tainted Lily, of the first few attempts at combining human and angel…

"Very good, Rei, that will be all."

Silently Rei bowed and left the room, the conversation already dropping from her mind. The Third Child's mental state was no concern to her or her mission and could therefore be ignored.

"You don't think-"

"What else could it be professor? After all this time it appears that Samael is here to play again."

OK done, bit longer then my other chapters in an attempt to make up for my appalling update record…you know, if someone out there still reads my work…

So… any ideas on what the Third child is yet? 


	5. Chapter 5

It was an odd feeling I had as I wondered through the wrecked portion of the city. All this was mine, the city had been saved by my actions, unwilling or otherwise, but it had also been destroyed by those same actions. To wander decayed and shattered streets knowing that they are your creation is a chilling thought indeed.

What troubles you Shinji?

I sighed, how to answer that question? He wouldn't understand my feelings towards the destruction, he revelled in it. And then there was Misato, she had to have seen my note by now.

"I'll be going for a while. Don't try to follow me. I need some time to…think."

Not enough, not even close, but it was all I could think to say. It wasn't like I knew how I felt about Misato; she'd been nice, in an absent sort of way, but that file…those words…

This place weeps.

"Wah?"

This city Shinji, can you not hear it? It weeps at the burden it bears.

This…this was new, he sounded odd, troubled somehow…

What? You think me some unfeeling monster Shinji? It is true I enjoy the rush of destruction but this, this city…it is cursed.

I was beginning to think that he had a point, for all the mixed scents of the city the peppermint tang of supernatural events always bled through. Yet aside from the Angels and Rei I had yet to see a single non-human.

The rats always leave the sinking ship Shinji; they know there is nothing for them here.

Is there anything for US here? That's the question isn't it?

'Well what do you think we should do then?' I asked wearily. 'We either stay in this cursed city and take fathers orders or we leave and-'

Condemn all these people to death, at least according to Misato…Well Shinji this is a decision you will have to make. But hear this; I hate that bastard and everything he stands for, but I WILL NOT be leaving my Angel without a fight.

He'd found something to fight for, I spend most of my life trying to pull it together and my sociopathic split personality manages it first by dint of insanity.

I hate my life.

Love, or lust masked by the pretence of good intentions, I guess that there are worse things to fight for.  
'We can't keep running forever can we?'

"Shinji!"

With a yelp I came to my senses to find myself at the maglev station; Misato stood before me, judging from her salty scent tears had been forthcoming… had the thought of me leaving affected her that much? Could someone actually give a damn about whether I stayed or left?

"Misato I"  
Her head jerked up at my words; expression running the gamut of sorrow to rage.

WHACK!

I fell back slightly, face stinging from the blow.

"You idiot!"

"wha-" This wasn't quite the reception I had expected…

"What do you think you were doing?"

"I-" But I was cut off again as she pulled me into an embrace so tight I couldn't breath. Her hair cascading down over my face in a purple curtain, obscuring the world.

"IF you ever pull something like this again…"

I didn't reply. What could be said?

Nothing that needed to be.

(Important message!)

We would like to apologise for the wimpy melodrama contained within this last chapter, the wimp was, at this point totally spineless and lacking in both refinement and the necessary pep-talk and literary advice from The great Asuka Langely Soryuu required to transform this pathetic excuse for a literary work (and a life) from its currant level of ineptitude to something worth reading.

End message

(MY versions better!)

It was about a week after my little excursion, life had been… pleasant. Shocking I know.

It still strikes me as odd that I pretty much lived as a maid; cooking and cleaning for Misato yet, in-between bouts of horrifying combat with giant monsters blending into an experience that was…nice.

Tonight's entertainment was provided by Misato inviting Dr Akagi over for dinner, Pen-Pen having wisely retreated to his fridge.

At first I was sceptical, my first impression of the doctor hadn't been good after all. But Ritsuko turned out to be surprisingly pleasant; a counterpoint of reason to Misato's erratic and juvenile behaviour, although even the horror of Misato's permanent beer haze and 'curry' couldn't fully erase her aroma of plastic and dried blood.

So it was that we were all gathered around Misato's little table choking down instant noodles and having something that was dangerously close to a good time.

"So Shinji, how is my old roomie treating you?" Asked Ritusko warmly.  
Now that I had the opportunity to listen I found Ritsuko's voice far more pleasant, the rasping friction caused by years of smoking not quite hiding what must have once been a soothing tone.

"You used to live together?" This was new; I hadn't seen Ritsuko as being invincible.

"YUP! College roomies right Ritsu?" crowed Misato, evidently reaching the enthusiastic drunk stage.

"Ah memory…" Ritsuko sighed in what I assumed was a dreamy way for her. "You'd never guess it but Misato here used to be quite the party animal Shinji."

"Really?" I replied in awed horror.

"Hey Shinji, catch"  
Even drunk Misato was a nasty shot, her projectile bouncing gently off my head.  
"What's this?" I asked, looking down at the small plastic rectangle in my hand.

"You're NERV ID card. Oh, while I remember." Misato paused, fishing around in a pocket until she extracted another card, almost identical to my own, save for the picture.

"Deliver this to Rei's would ya Shinji?"

Rei…the blue haired girl who had been plaguing my thoughts, she had appeared to me as a shade, her scent was only vaguely human. Who was she really? Fellow Eva pilot certainly…

She is an angel wrapped in sin and spilt blood, a fallen purity sullied by the sins of man.

'Yes, thank you for your input…' I'd have to keep an eye on him in the future; his little Rei fixation was getting worrying…

"Shinji! Earth to Shinji!"

"Huh?"

The grin Misato was giving me would quite possibly be the most terrifying sight I had ever seen, had not Ritsuko been wearing a horrifyingly similar one.

"Got the hots for Rei, eh? Well, it's always the quiet ones; just keep the noise down after one, ok? Some of us have to work."

"Guh?"

"Don't worry Shinji, my office is free…"

"But I… Gah…never mind." I trailed off, realising that my 'love' for Rei would be the talk of NERV for the next month no matter what I said.

BREAKER:

"Maybe Misato is smarter then I thought" I mused as I strode up the stairs of the apartment complex purported to belong to my Angel. Shinji had gone off to think our situation over while I went to see Rei. Her scent was here, gently bathing the steps in a wondrous halo, a patina of fragrance that made each step a loving caress. When I had arrived I had railed at the thought of my Rei being kept in such a hovel, yet the more I thought on it the more this currant arrangement appealed to me; the idea of my bloodstained Angel ruling over this ruined city brought little shivers to my soul.

I wonder if Father felt the same way?

The front door opened with a creak, but jammed after a few inches, forcing me to give it a light kick, dislodging a cascade of yellowing letters from their place behind the door.  
From the looks of things my princess hadn't been reading her mail, of course such things would have been beneath her notice, the world of us mere mortals must seem a trifling affair to her.

The apartment was sparse, covered with dirty laundry and bloodied bandages, the smell was lovely; yellowing paper, dirty linen and still water combined with Rei's heavenly aroma of minty dried blood meant that every breath felt like she was near.

"Rei?" I called lightly. No answer, maybe she was at-  
My thoughts trailed off abruptly, a new scent had come to my attention… it shared a bloody quality similar to Rei's but diluted by starch and old aftershave…the scent of my father…  
How dare he touch her! I strode the room in a rage in search of the scent, eventually being led to Rei's dresser.  
There they were, next to a large jar, the source of the offence: father's glasses, twisted and broken but HERE!  
I snatched them up in a fury, the frames already beginning to buckle under my enraged grip.  
How dare he? How dare he sully her purity!  
I was set to rage, to destroy all traces of my father in a fit of fury!  
But I stopped, something about the air here…  
A cursory sniff of the jar revealed my delay in picking up the glasses lingering aroma.  
I stepped closer, glasses and anger forgotten in this new discovery; The jar smelt of Rei, not in the same, second hand way everything around her did, but of REI. This jar was connected to her in some crucial way that I could not see.

A small sound caused me to spin around in shock; Rei was stood a little way behind me staring at me with her penetrating red eyes.  
She was also naked.

I am not sorry to say that I froze, transfixed by the sight before me, eyes tracing the perfect curves of Rei's alabaster skin, the delicate tracery of veins just beneath the flesh.  
It is not often one of the damned gets to gaze upon an Angel and I would not miss my chance.

"Hell-"I broke off as Rei's expression darkened suddenly and she strode towards me, hand reaching up to snatch the glasses from my grip.  
I made no move to stop her or set the glasses down, transfixed as I was by the sight before me; they way she moved… muscles flowing beneath her skin in a smooth, almost military march that caused her breasts to bounce lightly… Her hand clasped mine, cool skin radiating the warmth and damp of a shower.  
Unfortunately I was holding on tighter then she had anticipated and she was pulling with more force then I had thought her tiny body capable of exerting, the resulting conflict of forces ended predictably; I lost my footing and fell forward causing Rei to over balance and tumble backwards.

I looked down into Rei's red eyes, scant inches away from my own and smiled. Rei did not appear perturbed by her position and I most certainly was not.  
I took the opportunity to savour her scent again; the smell of blood was weaker now, her cheap shampoo hiding it in a chemical haze, but that let another scent come to the fore; the scent of peppermint and sorrow, my Angel was unhappy about something and had been for a long time.

"Would you get off"  
I complied, reluctantly, being sure to give her one last caress as I stood and helped her to her feet.

"I came to deliver this my lady." I said, bowing floridly to her as I presented the ID card with a flourish.

She paused, as she always did.  
"…Thank you." Such a soft voice…

"I am afraid that the picture does not do you justice, but then what does"  
Just for a second, the merest of moments, her cheeks coloured and I smiled.

"Why do you say such things?" She asked quietly.

"Because they are true, a beauty such as yours could never be captured in something as mundane as plastic"  
'Although the effort is appreciated' I mused, giving the card an appreciative glance.

She dressed as we spoke; roughly pulling on a school uniform and underwear as though they were a necessary evil.

"I'm going now."

"Then I will accompany you."

"If you wish."

The walk was a quiet one, Rei not deigning to speak and I simply basking in her presence. Her scent blazed a muted trail through the chemical stench of the city.

There were few people on the streets that morning, even less then a mere week ago yet there were enough for me to observe an intriguing phenomenon; people avoided Rei.  
Not that I care but Shinji insists that I add these things for his benefit.

See? I can be good.

We had just entered NERV proper, passing the huge gates with their blood-red proclamation when;  
"What do you know about my father?"

The question was a surprise, even to me. My attention fixed upon my angels every movement I had not noticed Shinji's presence stirring before he had spoken, almost causing me to bite our tongue in confusion.  
If Rei noticed the difference in my tone it was masked by the look of slight surprise caused by Shinji's blurted question.

"I am…familiar with the commander."

Now MY curiosity was piqued, just what did father want with Rei?  
"Does he treat you well?"

"…I am not sure what you mean."

"Does he hurt you?"

Silence.

"Are you afraid Ayanami? When you fight I mean?" continued Shinji, obviously trying to fill the void of Rei's last answer.

"Can you not have faith in your fathers work?"

"I could never trust him again."

To my surprise she spun round and tried to slap me, shocked as I was I only barely caught her slim wrist. But the look on her face stopped me from blocking the next one; she was glaring at me in utter rage!

"I-"I began, but she had already stormed off. Leaving me too confused to even enjoy the sensation of her stinging blow.

"What happened there?"

'She likes father obviously." Chimed Shinji, in one of his more irritating moods it seemed.

'I know Shinji, I knew that the moment I found his scent in her rooms. But I never expected that kind of reaction…You take over for a while, I need to think on this."

And so saying I relinquished control to Shinji

I have to admit Rei's reaction to him surprised me as well, she'd accepted everything else he'd said and done to her without complaint yet it only took one instance of Him showing our shared dislike of the man who abandoned us to trigger a display of emotion I hadn't considered Rei capable of.

Judging from the much sharper scent of peppermint Rei had been rather angry, at least for her. And that was odd; I couldn't smell her anger, only the peppermint and the expression on her face gave me the slightest clue as to her emotional state. For someone who can read a person just by their scent such…illegibility was worrying.  
My mind went back to the glasses found at her apartment, my father's glasses…  
Just what was her relationship with my father? I'd never seen them interact outside of the cages but whenever they did it was with such uncharacteristic warmness that I couldn't help feel jealous, though of whom it was impossible to say.

"Shinji?" Too absorbed with my ponderings to notice that I'd been wandering NERV'S corridors I looked up at the voice just before walking clean into its source.

"Misato?"

Her jolly voice piped out in answer, slightly muffled.  
"Hey kiddo, not in public!"

Ignoring this I extricated myself from her breasts and stepped back quickly, I wasn't in the mood for Misato's 'unique' brand of humour right now.

"What are you doing here?"

"I just walked here with Rei after giving her her new access card-"

"She didn't look too happy when she passed me just now…try to cop a feel?" she interrupted. Judging from Misato's expression she clearly wasn't serious in believing I would, I wonder what her expression would be if she knew that 'I' had done just that?

"Misato?"

"Yes Shinji?"

"What do you know about Rei?"

Instantly and predictably a cunning grin spread across Misato's face, all her suspicions no doubt confirmed.  
"Oh-ho!"

"It's not like that! I just…I just wanted to know why she seems to get along so well with father. That's all"  
Damn it! It seemed so simple but actually saying it…I couldn't be jealous of Rei could I?

Misato's expression softened at this "Before I say anything about Rei listen to me Shinji; your father abandoned YOU, not the other way around. You don't need him."

"I know…but…" I paused, wondering if it would be a good idea to tell Misato about the glasses.

"I know, some part of you still wants to be accepted by the bastard." She laid a comforting hand on my shoulder. "I felt the same way with my father..."

"Your fath-" I began, but Misato interrupted with an upraised hand.

"I'll tell you some other time kiddo, Busy busy busy!"

"But-"

"As for Rei I can't really help you, She keeps to herself and was here before I was, although if anyone would know it'd be Ritsuko."

And then she was gone, striding down the corridor and leaving me with a lingering smile and the scents of vanilla, beer and wet ink.

"Thanks."

(Breaker)

"What's with the sudden interest?" she asked with a quirked eyebrow.

I'd found Dr Akagi in her office going through reams of paper with a female tech I recognised as Miss Ibuki. It was never hard to find the good doctor, her scent was more memorable then most and not only because of the lingering jab of the bakelite, it smelt of old paper, ozone, cats and, without Misato's apartment masking it; most uncomfortably my father.

"Um…" I hadn't thought of her asking this question really. It would be a bad idea to say that the voice in my head had a crush on Rei. Although obsession would be closer to the mark.

"Too embarrassed to say, eh? Well that attitude won't get you far."

"But I-" Her abruptness surprised me, Dr Akagi was completely different from the day before, seeming almost offended by my question.

Aparently she noticed my discomfort as her glare softened a moment.  
"Rei's had a very…traumatic past, she lost her parents shortly after the third impact and has lived much of her life alone, the blue hair and red eyes are a result of contamination she suffered in the womb during the impact. As I'm sure you can attest children can be very cruel to those that are different."

All this was delivered in such a clipped, precise manner that I sat stunned for a moment, trying to digest these revelations. Rei was fourteen? She didn't look it, didn't feel it either.

(It has since been brought to my attention that the above line has been considered 'dodgy' or as Asuka so kindly put it "YOU FUCKING PERVERT!" so in amendment I make it clear that I was talking about Rei in a ESP sense.)

"Commander Ikari for…reasons of his own, took Rei as his ward and has been her guardian for the last 13 years 

She is lying to us

What?

She is lying to us; Rei is not 14 years old.

This was interesting, for all his insanity (hey!) my other was usually right about things like this.

Rei does not smell human, even you should have picked that up by now, Shinji.

Well, excuse me if I haven't taken every available chance to sniff her!

Which, of course, proves my point that you are an idiot

"Shut up!"

"Excuse me?"

"What?" I said, confused.  
'I eagerly anticipate your response'  
Dr Akagi was glaring at me in shock and annoyance while Miss Ibuki looked like the sky had fallen. "What do you mean 'shut up'?"

Damn it! I'd spoken aloud again. Now Akagi thought I was yelling at her.

"I'm sorry. I wasn't talking to you!"

Smooth.

To my surprise Akagi looked somewhat mollified. "Ah yes, your file mentioned something like this."

It did?  
"It did"  
"It did?" chipped in Ibuki rather redundantly and giving me an odd look.

I sighed quietly; I was all too used to odd looks.

"Don't worry, all it said was that you had had some problems with confrontation, causing you to slip out of concentration, sometimes manifesting as harmless voices in your childhood"  
Seeing my stunned nod she continued briskly "But that they're all sorted now. Maybe the stress of piloting has brought them on again?"

Brought them on again?

"You think I'm insane?"

"You work here don't you?"

"…Touché."

Wow… an update. SI anyone still actually checking?  
Thanks to all those who still come by to check, it means a lot to me that you've enjoyed my writing and I will do my best not to disappoint you on subsequent chapters.

Again: thanks. 


End file.
